In the small wooden cabin that served as Oasen Festival’s indoor stage, the evening was meant to bring a set by the Västerås punk band Världen Brinner. When plans changed, we were instead treated to Troublemakers — an unexpected twist that became a highlight: an up-close encounter with Gothenburg punk icons, delivered in a setting as intense as it was intimate.
Up Close and Unexpected: Troublemakers Take the Stage in Ulricehamn
Since forming in Gothenburg in 1981, Troublemakers have carved out a long and unflinching path through the Swedish punk scene. Born from members of earlier Gothenburg acts such as Perverts and Göteborg Sound, their sound has always been raw, uncompromising, and deeply tied to working-class ethos. After a hiatus in the early ’90s, they reformed in 1995 and have stayed active ever since, refusing to water down their approach and sticking proudly to Swedish-language punk.
Their discography spans full-length albums, singles, EPs, and compilations; among their more recent releases is En sista skål (2021). The line-up today features Christer “Blomman” Blomgren (vocals), Arild “Psychobilly” Hanssen (guitar), Christian “Elvis” Odin (bass), and Erik Fastén (drums). Their lyrics often tackle local identity (“Staden Göteborg”), social critique, and political themes—but without ever making their concerts feel like heavy-handed manifestos.
A Surprise Switch: Replacement Turned Revelation
One of the acts I was most excited to revisit on the second day of Oasen Festival was Världen Brinner from Västerås, whom CrowdSnapper caught last summer at Liseberg. But fate intervened. Illness forced them to cancel — much like The Headlines did earlier in the summer at Liseberg, where Krigsstigen stepped in as a last-minute replacement. Just as Liseberg’s organisers had to improvise then, Oasen’s team now faced the same challenge.
Checking the festival website the night before still showed Världen Brinner, so imagine my surprise when I stepped into the smaller indoor venue and saw a backdrop emblazoned with “Trouble Makers” instead. For me, it was a lucky accident. It gave me my first chance to catch the legendary Gothenburg band live. Still, frontman Christer Blomgren was a familiar face from his guest spot with Mimikry at Liseberg last summer.
Sweaty, Intimate, and Intense: The Concert Experience
From the opening notes, Troublemakers hit the accelerator. There was no warm-up, no pacing themselves—just punk rock at full tilt. The setting intensified everything: the Kulturmagasinet stage, essentially a small wooden cabin with a bar at one end and a stage barely larger than a living-room corner at the other, created an atmosphere both intimate and claustrophobic.
The crowd was pressed right up to the stage—no security gap, no space to breathe—so close you could almost share sweat with the band. Lighting was sparse, mostly backlit in purples, dramatic but brutal for photography, especially up close without ultra-wide glass. Add quick movements to dim light and you had a serious challenge behind the lens.
Heat became another factor. With festivalgoers shuttling between outdoor and indoor stages, still dressed for the crisp September air outside, the cabin filled with bodies in coats and jumpers. Inside it felt closer to 30°C. The sweat was real—on stage and off. Despite the late announcement, Troublemakers pulled a respectable crowd. A few songs in, eager fans surged forward, making me step back slightly to capture wider stage angles. That shift in perspective revealed the full interplay between the band and their fans: sweaty, raw, and charged.
Charisma, Humour, and Punk Swagger
Frontman Christer Blomgren was in fine form—energetic, humorous, leaping across the stage, and constantly engaging with the audience. Fans repeatedly passed him drinks until he quipped in his thick Gothenburg accent, “är du inte tösstig?” (are you not thirsty?) before finally taking another swig.
Arild “Psychobilly” Hanssen lit up the left side of the stage with energetic guitar moves, with his tall blonde mane recalling Dexter Holland of The Offspring. On the other side, bassist Christian “Elvis” Odin anchored the sound with swagger. More Billy Idol in vibe than Elvis, if you ask me. Behind them, Erik Fastén drummed with relaxed cheer, holding tempo with a grin and already eyeing his first post-set drink.
The band radiated warmth and humour, but the music never lost its edge. Troublemakers balanced grit with approachability—proof that punk can be both politically aware and welcoming.
Politics with Heart
Punk often comes with a message, and while it’s no mystery where Troublemakers stand politically, they avoid being preachy or too on-the-nose in their message. Instead, their delivery is more about inclusion than division. When Blomgren introduced “Utan hjärta stannar Sverige”, he reminded the crowd: people can think what they want—what matters is having a bit of heart.
The band doesn’t only touch on politics and class issues, though. With songs like “Ingenting är värt nånting”, they move into more personal territory, underlining that nothing has real value unless it can be shared with someone. On that note, Blomgren revealed a more vulnerable side, mentioning that the band had recently lost three friends to cancer. Something that hit close to home for me personally, and likely for many more in the crowd.
Song Highlights & Encore
Among the songs that stood out:
- Staden Göteborg
- Ingenting är värt nånting
- Mammas flickor
- Utan hjärta stannar Sverige
- Majorna brinner
After the main set, they returned for an encore with their version of the old peace anthem ‘I natt jag drömde’ — originally ‘Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream’ in English. By then some had already drifted outside to catch Jonna Randen, but those who remained witnessed a fitting, reflective close to a fierce performance.
What’s in a Name?
One last note for the typophiles: though usually written as Troublemakers, the band’s own logo often shows it as ‘Trouble Makers’—something I already hinted at when mentioning the band’s backdrop earlier. Whether stylistic choice or graphic quirk, both forms are in circulation—worth noting, not least for searchability.
Verdict: A Memorable Gritty Punk Performance
Even stepping in at short notice, Troublemakers proved why they remain one of Sweden’s punk cornerstones. Taking the stage just a day after Världen Brinner had to cancel, the band delivered a performance that was remarkably tight and commanding. Playing in the small, stifling, cabin-like venue brought the band and audience unusually close, with the confined space making the music feel rawer, louder, and more immediate than it would in a larger hall.
With humour, grit, political heart, and a strong connection to their fans, they transformed a last-minute substitution into one of Oasen Festival’s most intense and memorable sets.
This show was shot with
Wider Shots
- Camera: Sony a7 III
- Lens: Tamron 28-75/f2.8
Close-Ups
- Camera: Sony a7R II
- Lens: Tamron 70-180/f2.8
Concert Photo Gallery
